Coyotes sign top prospect to entry-level contract

Cooley, 19, collected 22 goals and 60 points in 39 games with the Minnesota Golden Gophers during the 2022–23 NCAA season. He was named a finalist for the Hobey Baker Award and led the Gophers to the NCAA National Championship Final, which they lost in overtime to the Quinnipiac Bobcats.

The Coyotes originally selected Cooley with the No. 3 overall pick in the 2022 NHL Draft. The 5-foot-10 center committed to returning to Minnesota for his sophomore season earlier this offseason before changing course and signing with the Coyotes on Wednesday.

Adam Fantilli was the only other NCAA player to score at least 60 points in the 2022–23 season. Cooley, Fantilli and Matthew Knies were named the three Hobey Baker “Hat Trick” finalists, with Fantilli — the No. 3 pick in the 2023 NHL Draft — being crowned the winner.

Cooley is the latest (and perhaps the most impactful) addition to a Coyotes roster that has improved significantly this summer. After trading a second-round pick for defenseman Sean Durzi, the Coyotes signed defenseman Troy Stecher and forwards Jason Zucker, Alex Kerfoot, and Nick Bjugstad in free agency. They also re-signed forward Matias Maccelli and goaltender Connor Ingram to three-year contracts.

The Coyotes finished seventh in the Central Division and 27th in the NHL with a 28–40–14 record and 70 points in 82 games. Despite this, they finished with a winning record at Mullett Arena, going 21–15–5 in 41 home contests.

Cooley figures to be a centerpiece of the new-look Coyotes core that also includes Clayton Keller, Matias Maccelli, Dylan Guenther, Dmitri Simashev and J.J. Moser. The Coyotes selected Simashev and Daniil But with the No. 6 and 12 picks in the 2023 NHL Draft.